2010-04-15 07:49

Municipality's ex-police chief convicted of protecting gangs, rape and property scams

CHONGQING - Wen Qiang, former deputy police chief of Southwest China's Chongqing municipality, was sentenced to death on Wednesday after being found guilty of protecting five organized gangs, accepting bribes, rape and property scams.

Residents, holding placards demanding justice, collect outside the Chongqing No 5 Intermediate People’s Court on Wednesday to wait for the verdict in the trial of Wen Qiang, former deputy director of Chongqing public security bureau. [China Daily]

As former deputy director of Chongqing public security bureau from 1997 to 2008, following which he was appointed the director of the municipality's justice bureau, Wen, 55, is the most senior official convicted in the gang-crushing operation that began last June.

Though Wen can appeal the sentence, about 200 local residents waiting outside the Chongqing No 5 Intermediate People's Court rejoiced as they heard news of the verdict.

"I'm so happy," screamed 36-year-old Wang Meng after a man rushed out of the courtroom and announced the court's verdict. "Death for Wen is justice served. We are satisfied," Wang added.

As a soulless-looking Wen, along with three other convicted policemen, was being driven away from the court, the crowd burst into applause, with some residents shouting: "Kill him, Kill him!"

Wen remained silent throughout the trial on Wednesday and kept a straight face when the death sentence was delivered.

According to the verdict, Wen accepted 756,500 yuan ($110,800 yuan) including currencies and assets converted, of bribes from five convicted organized gangs from 2003 to 2008, and provided protection and connived with the gangsters in crimes ranging from running gambling dens, prostitution and drug businesses to monopolizing the pork market.

In one specific case in September 2007, even though Wen was aware Wang Tianlun's gang was under investigation, he obstructed police work and helped Wang escape punishment, according to the court.

Following Wen's detention last August, Chongqing's stormy gang-crushing operation netted as many as 3,000 suspected gangsters, many of whom were respected businessmen or politicians, and about 50 legal officials. The sweep triggered a complete reshuffle of the Chongqing police department.

The court heard Wen had accepted bribes totaling 12.11 million yuan (4.49 million through his wife) and abused his power to help bribers secure promotions, get transfers or win business bids.

According to the court, three of Wen's protgs - who were heads of the criminal police division, public transportation security police division and public security division under the municipal police bureau - had bribed him with 420,000 yuan to get quick promotions.

The three - Huang Daiqiang 48, Zhao Liming, 50, and Chen Tao, 48 - were also convicted of protecting gangs, and received jail terms of 20 years, 17 and a half years and 19 and a half years respectively.

Wen was also found guilty of raping a girl. On August 28, 2007, Wen instructed his men to get a girl drunk and then had sexual intercourse with her against her will in a hotel room.

Wen was unable to explain the source of assets worth 10.44 million yuan his family owned.

The court ordered the confiscation of all of Wen's personal property and deprived him of political rights for life.

Pan Jinggui, a law professor at the Chongqing-based Southwest University of Political Science and Law, said: "The verdict has sounded an alarm to all police officials - cherish, don't abuse, the powers given to you."

"It also reflects the government's determination to fight corruption and has restored the public's confidence in the judiciary," he said.

The publicity department of the Chongqing municipal public security bureau refused to comment on Wen's sentence and did not say if the gang-sweeping operation would continue

CHINA DAILY